US president Joe Biden on Monday (28) proposed $1.8 billion to support his Indo- Pacific Strategy along with another $400 million to counter Chinese influence in the region.
Both are part of the $773bn annual defence budget of the US for 2023, which was submitted by the White House to Congress as part of its annual budgetary proposals.
“In the Indo- Pacific, America is strengthening its role and expanding its cooperation with longtime allies and partners, including new diplomatic, defence and security, critical and emerging technology and supply chain, and climate and global health initiatives, while supporting stronger ties between our European and Indo Pacific allies,” Biden said.
The president has “prioritised strategic competition” with China and worked with allies and partners to “resist coercion and deter aggression from Beijing and Moscow”, and has ended America's 20-ear war in Afghanistan while removing all US troops, the White House said.
The budget promotes integrated deterrence in the Indo- Pacific and globally, it added.
According to the White House, the Department of Defence's 2023 Pacific Deterrence Initiative highlights key investments focused on strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.
